


The Legend of Zelda: Prince of the Desert

by BucketLover



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Character Development, F/M, Gen, M/M, Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:20:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 19,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26088580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BucketLover/pseuds/BucketLover
Summary: Link, son of Ganondorf and prince of the desert grew up among the Gerudo, training to become a warrior fit to someday lead the desert tribe.As a child, he looked up to his father and idolized him despite the rough treatment he received. As he grew older, he started rebelling against the confining rules that his father imposed upon him.But when things change and everything he ever knew turns out to be a lie, Link struggles to get revenge against the man he once called his father. With nothing but an old book, an unusable dagger and a pair of cheap earrings he must learn to become the hero Hyrule needs to save it from the impending darkness that threatens it.
Relationships: Ganondorf & Link (Legend of Zelda), Link & Sheik (Legend of Zelda), Link & Zelda (Legend of Zelda), Link/Sheik (Legend of Zelda), Link/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 10
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> omggggggggggggg this has been in my drafts for about two years i decided to post and get it over it. i had this idea a long time ago and i worked hard on it. I really hope you enjoy it <3

"Again.” 

The order was given by a tall, imposing woman. She had flaming red hair and a golden piercing gaze that wouldn’t leave the hunched boy in front of her. He nodded weakly and brought up the bow in his hand to shoot one more arrow.

The boy, unlike her, had bright blonde hair, very unusual for the Gerudo clan that he belonged to. His skin was tanned and his eyes were sky blue. He put his hand back, bending the string along with the arrow. He tried his best to aim properly, but when the arrow landed on the dummy it was far away from the target, and he couldn’t understand what he was doing wrong. 

“Do it again, Link,” the woman said, crossing her arms. “Remember what I said, aim lower than the target.”

“Yes, Aruna,” Link replied, placing another arrow on the string. 

He aimed, as Aruna had told him, lower than the “heart” of the dummy. Letting go of the arrow he was surprised to see that it actually hit the target. Though it was far from the center it was an improvement that made Link want to jump in happiness. He turned to look at Aruna with a small shout of glee. Aruna was smiling at him approvingly. 

“You can actually do it when you listen to what I’m saying,” said Aruna and Link flushed red knowing he hadn’t actually done it the way Aruna had told him to before. When he asked to be taught how to use a bow and arrows, he wasn’t aware of the many technicalities that came with it. When Aruna had explained everything to him, he hadn’t been paying attention, having been bored of all the details and looking forward to actually having a bow in his hand. To say he was regretting it now was a bit of an understatement.

His train of thoughts were interrupted by the sound of hands clapping and Link immediately turned to see his father walking up to them with a pleased expression. His father was a tall man with a bulky frame. His hair was long, reaching his waist, and it gave the resemblance of a red mane. His golden eyes were watching Link, and the boy wished he could disappear under such a powerful gaze. He was wearing a sturdy, black armor and a gold crown on his head, as well as a long red cape. 

“Good job, Link,” he said and Link flushed once again. He wasn’t used to his father praising him. 

“Th-thank you, Father,” he replied shakily. 

“Link!” Aruna scolded. “Speak out louder and don’t stutter! This is your father you are talking to.”

He jumped and stood straighter. “Yes. I’m sorry,” Link said quickly, feeling ashamed. 

“Aruna is right, Link,” his father began, his tone one of practiced seriousness. “You are already eight years of age, yet you can’t speak properly. Not only are you a Gerudo, you are also my one and only heir. One day you shall become the king and I can’t have you act like this.”

Link sat in silence and listened. Even if he wanted to say something, he found that it was better not to, since it would only further anger his father. When he was done, he looked at Link expectantly, and Link nodded. 

“Yes, father,” he replied, hearing the displeased sigh of the man in front of him. 

“Now shoot once again for me,” his father commanded, and Link looked at him in surprise. 

It took him a few seconds to react before he quickly bent down to pick up his bow. He reached for the quiver on his back and took out one arrow. He winced as he held it between his calloused fingertips and placed it in position. Feeling the judging stare of his father on his back and a strange desperate rush to prove himself, he let go of the arrow.

And missed the target completely. 

He was almost afraid to turn and look at his father, but when he finally did, he noticed that the man was not furious as Link had expected. He did seem a bit disappointed, but Link couldn’t decipher anything else on his face.

“I’ll show you how it’s done,” his father assured him in a gentle voice that Link had rarely heard him use before. He reached for the bow in Link’s hand and smoothly picked up another arrow. Closing his hand on top of Link’s and raising the bow, he handed the arrow to Link who quickly nocked it into place. Ganondorf put his arm around Link and gently guided him as he tugged the string backwards. Using his father as a guide, Link slightly bent the arm holding the bow as the string dug into his fingers.

“Aim as Aruna said, lower than the target,” Ganondorf explained, and Link struggled to listen to the teaching and ignore his burning arms. The boy slowly nodded before letting go of the arrow. 

It flew swiftly through the air until it hit the dead center of the target. Link turned to face his father with a wide smile on his face. 

“Thank you, father,” he said gratefully as a ghost of a smile appeared on Ganondorf’s face as well. Link felt pride build up inside him. He had finally managed to please his father. 

“I think I got the hang of it now,” he continued, moving to pick up another arrow. Perhaps if he tried a few more times, he could make that smile appear again. 

But before he could nock it, he was stopped by his father’s voice.

“Not now, Link. You have to go to bed early tonight. Tomorrow we will leave at the break of dawn.”

Link frowned. “Why-?”

“Aruna,” Ganondorf smoothly acknowledged, turning to face the woman who straightened her posture after her king spoke to her. 

“Yes, King Ganondorf?”

“Take Link to the baths and prepare his clothing for tomorrow. Send word for the horses to be ready by the time we leave.” With that, he turned on his heel and left the grounds, studiously ignoring Link’s confused gaze. 

The moment the king left the grounds, Aruna turned to speak to a guard who hurriedly left immediately after, before approaching Link. 

“Come on now,” she said and, confused yet resigned, Link followed her quietly. 

Later that evening, Link was sitting in the bathtub having his arms scrubbed by a maid. Aruna had left after leading him here, and he was already bored. He usually had Aruna during these times as a conversation partner. The maids weren’t too talkative. He believed it was because they didn’t like that he was voe, but there was nothing he could do about that. Just as the maid was moving onto his left arm, the bathing chamber’s door opened, allowing Aruna to enter. 

“Where were you?” he asked, trying to keep the whine out of his voice.

“Taking care of some matters before our departure tomorrow,” she replied, not moving from her spot near the doorway. 

“Where are we going?” Link asked with a small pout. “Nobody ever tells me anything.”

“We are to leave for Hyrule Castle. Your father has very important business with the king.” 

“And he is taking me with him?” Link asked as his face lit up. “He refused to take me outside the desert so far.”

“His Majesty deemed you old enough to accompany him on this journey. He believes that you will behave accordingly,” Aruna stated, her tone changing as she spoke the last sentence. Link quickly realized it was more of a warning than a simple statement. 

“Do you think we will see the princess?” Link asked hurriedly, trying to change the subject. 

“Seeing as she is the king’s daughter, we might,” she replied, her face and tone calm. 

“What does she look like?” He leaned forward as the maid began cleaning his back. 

“What do you think she looks like?” 

“Well...” Link closed his eyes, trying to imagine the princess. “She is very strong and wise. She is tall with long hair and gentle eyes. Am I right?”

Link gazed at Aruna expectedly as a bemused smile appeared on her face. “I don’t know. I have never seen her. However, I can tell you for sure that at least from your point of view, she surely will be tall.”

Link narrowed his eyebrows, immediately picking on what Aruna was implying. “Are you saying I’m short?” 

“I never said that,” she countered, shaking her head.

“You _implied_ it. You are teasing me about my height again, aren’t you? I’m not short,” Link grumbled, determined to change Aruna’s opinion. 

“I never said you were,” Aruna replied, the bemused smile still on her face. The maid poured warm water over his back picking up a towel, signaling she was done. “Maybe the other girls your age are just too tall.”

Link got up, allowing the maid to wrap his shoulders in the towel. “Aruna! Stop! I’m not short,” he whined, pouting, just as Aruna burst into a hearty laughter.

“Don’t worry, Link. I am merely teasing. Now let’s get you to bed,” Aruna ordered as she began helping him dress into his night clothes. After that, they were in Link’s sleeping chamber in no time. 

Link jumped on the bed, covering himself with the thick blankets just as Aruna moved to blow out the candle. She turned to leave the room, but Link stopped her. 

“Will you tuck me in?” 

The woman turned back and nodded. She approached the bed and picked up the blanket on his chest raising it to Link’s chin. She made sure he was covered completely before she prepared to leave again. 

“Wait, Aruna. Can I ask you something?” Link said, his voice breaking the deadly silence. 

“Of course you can.”

“Why are you so cold towards me?” Link’s voice was low, as if he was afraid to speak the question. 

Aruna paused for a moment. “I don’t think I have ever been cold towards you, Link,” she replied as she glanced at him questioningly. 

“No, that’s not what I mean.” Link shook his head, trying to rephrase his question. “What I meant to say is, why are you not acting more like a…” he trailed off, unsure of what he should say. 

“Why am I not acting more like a mother to you?” Aruna filled in for him, and Link nodded, not meeting her gaze. She never did motherly things like tucking him in without him asking, even though Link really wanted her to.

“I am not your mother, vevhi. I am your nursemaid and bodyguard,” Aruna explained softly. “I am here to take care of you, to protect you.” Aruna meant to say more, but was interrupted by the boy’s hurried tone.

“I know that! I suppose that wasn’t what I meant to say either. Nevermind, it’s silly,” Link said, turning on his side. 

Aruna sat on the bed, placing a warm hand on his shoulder. “Talk to me, Link.”

Link turned to look at her again. “I am so lonely sometimes. Father barely speaks to me. The girls my age don’t play with me and I don’t know why. You are the closest person to me. The closest thing to a mother, as well…” 

Aruna didn’t say anything as she allowed Link to gather his thoughts. “I shouldn’t have said anything. Forgive me.”

She shook her head. “There is nothing to forgive, vevhi. Just remember this. Even if I am not your mother, I will always be here for you. Always. For anything. I am very happy that you think that way about me. I do, too.”

“You do?” Link asked, a small smile brightening his face. 

Aruna nodded as she brought a hand to his cheek, tucking a few stray hairs behind his ears. Link knew it was getting a bit long, but he liked it anyway. “You and Reyna are my treasures. I will always protect you. No matter what.”

Link’s smile widened just right before he let out a yawn.

"Get some sleep. I will be next door, as always." With that, the woman turned and left Link alone in the dark room, only the excitement for the following day to keep him company. 

The next day, an hour before dawn, Link was forced out of his warm bed. Unlike other mornings, when he would have been able to negotiate himself a few more minutes of sleep, he was awake the minute he opened his eyes. Link wasn’t too happy when the maids came into the room to help him dress in the Gerudo ceremonial clothes, but he knew that if he wanted to go on this journey with his father, he couldn't complain.

The ceremonial clothes consisted of a bright red, cotton tunic with golden triangular patterns at the rims. His middle was strapped with a golden belt on which the gerudo symbol was carved. His patterned, dark green pants were tucked into a pair of golden boots. His arms were protected by a pair of ruby-encrusted golden gauntlets. On his head, he was wearing a ruby circlet and his hair was tied up at the top. At his hip, a golden scimitar was placed. The attire made Link uncomfortable, but he had no choice but to bear it. 

The sun could barely be seen from behind the horizon when Aruna brought Link to the front gates where four horses were waiting. Without acknowledging his arrival, his father mounted a large, black stallion while Aruna and him mounted a white one. The other two were occupied by two Gerudo fighters who would accompany them, as well.

They began their journey, and a little past noon they left the desert. Link was fascinated by everything around him. First, the canyons they passed through, as the rock structures leaving him speechless. A few times he was worried they might fall and crush them all. He was glad to see he was wrong. The mountains were windy and cold, so different from what he was used to and yet he couldn’t help but love everything around him. 

With periodic breaks, they eventually left the mountains two days after starting their journey. Passing through the plains, Link couldn’t believe how lively everything was. He had never seen so much greenery before, except maybe in pictures or paintings. They took their break at a settlement right at the edge of a forest, leaving Link excited for being able to explore more of the entire new world around him.

“Link,” Ganondorf said after they were settled. “Take your bow. We’re going hunting.”

Link’s eyes widened in surprise. Would his father really take him to hunt on his first time out of the desert? He glanced at Aruna, who nodded, encouraging him to follow Ganondorf’s indications. He quickly ran towards the tent and took out his bow and arrows. 

He exited the tent and followed after his father. Allowing the horses to rest, they began walking through the forest on foot, keeping an eye out for movement. They walked for what seemed like forever and Link felt like his feet would go numb soon, but in the end they managed to find a trail. A puddle of mud with what appeared to be pig hoof prints as well as the signs of a good mud bath. 

Ganondorf looked around for a few moments, and then, in no discernable way Link could tell, decided on a direction. 

“This way,” he whispered, beginning to walk again in a more silent manner than before. In a few minutes, they reached a small clearing, and Link let out a small gasp at the sight in front of him. The clearing was decorated by colourful flowers that Link could have only dreamed of seeing before. In the middle of it, a boar was standing chewing on something from the ground. 

“Shh,” his father warned, already preparing his bow. The bow he was using was significantly larger than Link’s own. He was sure that if he tried to draw its string, he wouldn’t be able to. 

Ganondorf picked an arrow, preparing to aim. He waited for a few moments, trying to see if the animal would move, but it sat still. Link somehow wanted it to move. It was an innocent creature. It didn’t really deserve to die, but at the same time Link felt the hunger in his stomach after the long trip and he knew it was inevitable. Their provisions were finished a day before and this boar would be their only source of food until they reached the castle.

The arrow was drawn and in a moment, it began flying through the air swiftly and silently. It hit the boar perfectly, piercing its chest. It let out a cry of pain and began running aimlessly before it fell to the ground. 

“Come,” Ganondorf commanded, nodding towards Link, who was still trying to recover. Taking an innocent life. It would have been easier to bear the hunger until they got to the castle, he thought. With heavy steps, Link followed his father, averting his gaze when they reached the struggling beast.

“Link,” his father ordered, crouching down near the suffering creature, “don’t look away from this.”

The boy turned his gaze to the animal. Its eyes were glistening as it huffed hard breaths, struggling to stay alive. Ganondorf took out a knife and handed it to him. “End its suffering.” 

Link took the knife with a shaking hand. The grip on the knife was so strong his knuckles were turning white. He knew where he was supposed to cut. Aruna taught him a long time ago. However, theory and practice were very different. Link squeezed his eyes shut, feeling as if the gaze of the beast was too strong on him. He shook his head, letting the knife fall to the ground. He knew he couldn’t do it. Looking into its eyes as if it was pleading to be allowed to live one more day made Link realize he could never take its life. Even if it meant going hungry or disappointing his father. 

He watched as Ganondorf narrowed his eyes, picking the knife. In one swift motion, the creature was dead and Link averted his gaze once again as to not see the blood flow. His father didn’t say anything as he wrapped the pig into a cloth and began leading the way back to the settlement. Link tried to decipher an expression on his face, but it was blank. Even so, the boy knew he had disappointed him.

The whole way back his hands were shaking and he felt sick. He was there as an innocent life was taken. He was supposed to be the one to take that innocent life, yet he refused. He briefly wondered if he would have felt any different if _he_ was the one to take that life. 

He felt the tears prickling at the corner of his eyes the whole way, but he refused to let them fall. When they reached the camp, Link strode towards the tent where he knew Aruna was. 

“Aruna,” Link implored, his voice cracking. The woman looked up from her work, concern visible on her face. 

Link jumped in her arms, burying his face in her neck and holding onto her tightly. “I couldn’t do it”

He felt Aruna nod before she wrapped her arms gently around him. “That’s alright, Link.”

Link sniffled and pulled back to look at Aruna. “It’s not alright. I disappointed father.”

She shook her head. “He’ll get over it. What really matters is that you were able to make your choice.” 

“But what if it’s the wrong choice?” he asked, bringing his hands up to dry his tears.

“I can’t tell you that, vevhi,” she replied quietly. “You will figure that out on your own.” 

Link narrowed his eyebrows in confusion. “But what if I can’t? What if I can’t know what the right choice is.” 

“You will find a way. You are a clever boy,” Aruna told him, a small smile gracing her lips. “You’ll figure it out.”

Link nodded hesitantly, wondering if he would be able to do it if the time for that came. 

That night, they ate the cooked boar, but Ganondorf did not say a word to his son for the whole evening. The next day it was the same until they reached the castle.

Link saw it from a distance, its magnificent size seen from so far it was hard for Link to believe his eyes. As they got closer and closer, Link felt excitement build up inside him, and he even tried to make conversation with his father a few times only to be met with silence. He couldn’t let that bring him down, however. He was about to walk past the gates of Hyrule Castle. 

When they reached the outer wall, a knight was waiting for them already, bowing low as they reached him. 

“Allow me to lead you to the castle.”

They dismounted and began walking the rest of the way. They entered the Castle Town and Link couldn’t believe his eyes. There were people everywhere. Music was playing from where some musicians were performing for a small, cheering crowd. Men and women were all around them and Link was amazed by the livelihood of it all. Gerudo Town was quiet and serene and he loved it, but it was nothing compared to this. 

Most of the people turned to look at them as they passed, their faces wary. The Gerudo had stopped robbing Hylians decades ago, but the people have still heard the stories from their grandparents. The women of the Gerudo were known as fierce and cruel and merciless, though Link knew that wasn’t true. Everyone was kind and friendly, but he knew that in the right circumstances they could be deadly, too. 

However, that’s what they were here for, Link thought. Now that the Gerudo Tribe would adhere to Hyrule, no one will have to worry anymore. They will keep living by selling their ores as they have done until now and the Hylians will learn how amazing the Gerudo can be. It was going to be great, Link believed. And it was all because his father decided to meet up with the king. 

They reached the gate of the Castle shortly and Link was starting to feel nervous. What if he said the wrong thing? What if he annoyed the princess? What if he annoyed the _king_? Would he be imprisoned for that? Would his father allow him to be imprisoned for that? He didn’t want to be the cause of a war!

“Link, everything will be fine,” Aruna whispered his way, probably noticing his agitation.

The boy nodded just as the knight began leading them through a beautiful, majestic garden with a labyrinth that Link knew he would get lost in if he tried to go through it. The structure itself was gigantic, with about six towers that he could see. There were statues of different beasts like lions and wolves everywhere. 

Portrayed in many places was the Kingdom’s crest, made up of the three triangles, which Link knew symbolized some great mythical power that the Hylians believed in, along with the wings which symbolized the Loftwings that the first Hylians rode to soar through the skies. He was always fascinated by these myths, even though he hardly believed in them. Everyone knew that humans appeared when the Sand Goddess created them from the earth and gifted its riches and the sun to them so they could use them as they pleased. 

They walked past the gates into a long corridor, lit up by the giant windows, some of them displaying stories of the old, of heroes and princesses. Another subject Link liked learning about. The tales of the duo made of the Legendary Hero and Chosen Princess made him think of adventures that he would love to one day have. Even though he doubted he ever would. 

After they walked for what seemed like forever, they stopped in front of two huge doors. The knight bowed again and entered the room to notify the king of his visitors. A few moments later, the doors opened again and they entered. The red carpet they were walking on continued inside the spacious room, accenting the blue flags that were hanging from the walls. At the end of the carpet, two figures were standing tall and proud. One of them had silver hair and a long beard. His eyes were blue and calculating. Link noticed him watching them all and even if he wanted to, he couldn’t tell what the stranger was thinking. 

The other one was significantly shorter, but stood just as proud. She had blonde hair reaching to her waist tamed only by the crown atop her head. Her skin was almost porcelain white, only the red in her cheeks refraining her from looking sickly. Her eyes were an electric blue, and her gaze was cold and indifferent. The resemblance was there, but where the king welcomed them with warmth and maybe even anticipation, the princess seemed as if she couldn’t care less about their presence. 

They stepped closer to them and Link was surprised when his father got down on one knee. He realized that it was to be expected. He did the same immediately, noticing from the corner of his eye Aruna following suit. 

“Good evening, Your Majesty,” Ganondorf spoke, making Link pay attention to the Royal Family once again. 

“Please, Ganondorf, no need for such formalities. Stand,” the king ordered pleasantly, and as Link was standing up, he noticed the warm smile on his face. He stepped closer to Ganondorf and extended his hand. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you again after so long.” Link watched as his father shook the king’s hand with what could only be described as enthusiasm on his face. He has never seen that expression on his father before.

“Indeed, Your Majesty. Last time I visited the castle, Princess Zelda was barely an infant.” Ganondorf turned to look at the princess. “You have grown into a lovely young lady. In a few years, I am sure you could be mistaken for the late queen.”

“Thank you, King Ganondorf,” Princess Zelda replied politely, making an effort to smile, but Link could tell she didn’t mean it. 

“And who is this?” the king asked, turning to look at Link. 

The boy widened his eyes, feeling his stomach churn at being addressed so suddenly. “Uhm, I-” Link paused for a second feeling his father’s gaze on him, immediately remembering to speak louder and not stutter as he had been reminded frequently. “I am Prince Link, of the Gerudo. Thank you for allowing this visit.”

Link saw Ganondorf nod slightly and the king smiled kindly. “But of course. About time the Gerudo joined us as Hyruleans, isn’t it?” 

“That’s true. Years of conflict have been enough,” Ganondorf agreed as the king turned to look at him again. 

“Then, let’s get to it, shall we?” the king replied, turning to look at his daugher. “Dear, Zelda, why don’t you show Link around the castle as we wouldn’t want to bore you two with our politics.” 

Zelda nodded. “Of course. Please follow me. If there is anything in particular you would like to see, you may tell me.”

“Yes, I will,” Link replied, gazing at his father and wincing when he saw the displeased expression. But he didn’t dare argue with the king. 

“Impa, please escort them,” the king ordered , just as a woman stepped out of the shadows. Link wouldn’t have noticed her if she just stood still. From a distance, he couldn’t make out any details, but he noticed her silver hair in a bun and red teardrop tattoo under her left eye. He assumed she was one of the Sheikah, a tribe who has served the Royal Family for generations now. She waited for the princess to begin walking and when she did, Link followed. Link was relieved to see Aruna begin walking in tow with Impa at a respectable distance. 

They walked past the throne room in silence. The princess did not say anything for a while as she led Link through the twisted corridors. 

“What do you wish to see?” she asked, her tone indifferent. 

“Whatever you want to show me most will please me greatly,” Link answered, meaning what he said. He couldn’t deny looking forward to meeting the princess, but he never imagined her to be this distant and cold. 

The princess glanced at him for only one second before she returned her gaze ahead. “Would you like to see the library, then?” 

“I would love that,” Link replied, somehow feeling the tension between them ease up. 

After walking for what seemed like forever through the cold castle corridors, they ended up in front of a pair of large doors. The guards standing by it lowered their heads the moment they came into view before one of them rushed to open the doors to the library. 

Link and Zelda stepped past the doors and the moment Link saw the insides of the room, he stopped in his tracks to gape at his surroundings. Dozens of shelves reaching to the incredibly tall ceiling lined up the wall. The room was split in two floors and hundreds of thousands of books were lined on those shelves that seemed never ending from Link’s position. Gerudo Town could never hold these many books and Link wondered what they could possibly be about. 

In the middle of the room, there stood a large table to which the Princess walked up to, followed by Link who was astounded by everything around him. Aruna followed as well while Impa waited near the door, both of them hardly making their presence known.The table was made of glass underneath of which a giant map of Hyrule was displayed. 

“This place is amazing, Your Highness,” Link marveled, running his fingers over the glass making up the table and reading all of the names. 

“I suppose it is,” was all that Zelda said. Link glanced at her and noticed how her demeanor did not change at all. Link racked his brain for something he might have done to annoy her or even disgust her, but he never came up with anything. He briefly wondered if it was even _his_ fault that she was acting the way she was before he figured she might be that way all the time. However, before he assumed anything, he decided to ask since there was a chance that she just didn’t like him. Link was used to that. 

“Princess,” Link said and Zelda turned to look at him. “I don’t recall having done so, but did I upset you somehow?”

Zelda furrowed her brows for a moment as if she was thinking deeply about something. She closed her eyes and shook her head. “No, you didn’t.”

Link let out a sigh of relief he didn’t realize he was holding in before Aruna gave him a sharp look and he straightened his back once again. Before he could speak however, Zelda intervened. 

“You are more different than I thought,” she continued, a little quieter, as if she was still thinking. 

“Different, how?” 

Zelda turned her gaze to the floor for a moment, the same thoughtful expression on her face. “I may have misjudged you. Forgive me.”

Link looked at her in confusion. “I’m sorry, princess. I do not understand.”

Zelda looked to the side as if she was embarrassed of speaking her mind. “I do not trust King Ganondorf,” she whispered, quiet enough so that Aruna couldn’t hear her. 

“When I heard about the Gerudo’s wish to adhere to Hyrule, I had a bad feeling…” she trailed off. “I also had a dream.”

“A dream?” Link asked leaning in closer to the princess to better hear what she wanted to tell him. 

“Dark clouds were looming over Hyrule. Those clouds appeared from the desert enveloping everything in a great darkness. A day later my father informs me of this plan King Ganondorf came up with.”

Link nodded, understanding the princess’ concerns. He would also be freaked out if that happened to him. 

“When you showed up and I first saw King Ganondorf I looked into his eyes and I felt evil coming from him. I can’t trust him. I know it seems foolish to prejudice against someone only because of a dream, but all the bad feelings I’ve had regarding him can’t be a coincidence.“

“I understand,” Link said after a moment. “However, my father isn’t a bad person. He might seem rough sometimes and maybe a little harsh, but he isn’t evil. I understand why you might think so. He doesn’t really have the friendliest face, but I promise you, he would never hurt anyone.”

Zelda nodded, although she didn’t seem entirely convinced. “Yes, I suppose you are right. I mean, I never even met him before today, and he _is_ your father. You would know better.”

Link smiled softly and the princess smiled back. She had a nice smile, Link decided. 

“Could you tell me more about your dream?” Link asked as they began walking through the shelves looking at different books. 

“What was odd about it,” Zelda said, running her fingers over a small leather-bound book before taking it out of its place, “is that in the dream, the dark clouds dissipated when a bright light appeared from also from the desert. At first it was barely burning, like a small fire and then it slowly spread over the land bringing everything to its former glory.”

Link nodded, thinking of the story he heard when he was little. “I heard a story once. I think it was the tale of the Hero of Time. The Princess of Destiny had a similar dream before she met the hero.”

“Yes, I thought of that, too,” Zelda replied, handing him the book. “This book holds the closest representation of the events that took place during the era of the Hero of Time.”

Link felt his breath hitch in his throat. Aruna told him the story, but it barely had any details. The Hero of Time had always fascinated him. His adventures and battles were unlike any other of the heroes that supposedly saved Hyrule every time it fell into darkness.

“Would you like to have it?” Zelda asked and Link’s gaze snapped back to her. He immediately noticed the amusement on her face, probably from his amazement with the book. 

“It belongs to you,” Link haltingly replied, resisting the urge to hug to book to his chest.

“Consider it a gift and an apology for acting the way I did,” Zelda told him, smiling. “I am sure you will enjoy it. I’ve read it countless times myself.”

Link nodded. “Thank you.”

He held the book in his hand as they began walking through the bookshelves, even climbing up to the second floor. 

“Have you told anyone else about your dream?” Link asked. 

“I told Impa, but she said it would be best if I keep it from my father.” Zelda casted her gaze to the side again. “I did express my concern to my father, but he brushed me off. The reason he asked me to show you around the castle was because he didn’t trust me to behave around King Ganondorf. I see now how foolish I’ve been. He would never believe the hunches of an eight year old over his own judgement.”

Link stopped walking and turned to look at Zelda. “You did what you believed was right. You wanted to protect your kingdom. I don’t find that foolish at all.”

Zelda smiled softly. “Thank you.”

They spent the rest of the afternoon chatting while walking around the library and even visiting the gardens, which in Link’s opinion were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He got along well with the princess, even if Aruna was right and she _was_ taller than him by a little bit. He saw his father again at dinner who seemed pleased. Whatever agreement he and the king came to, it must have turned out well. 

He fell asleep that night quite easily, even though he was in a different place than he was used to. The next day, a grand ceremony was held in the castle where representatives from all over Hyrule joined and Link, for the first time, saw Gorons and Zoras and even Ritos. All of them were incredible in their own ways. The Gorons were friendly and loud, while the Zoras were proper and didn’t chit-chat much. The Rito valued manners, but didn't shy away from a party. It was different than what he was used to and Link loved it. 

That day went down in history as the day the Gerudo Tribe finally adhered to Hyrule and a grand ball was hosted. Link didn’t see much of the princess since she was busy, but so was he, making a good impression for all the people gathered.

They left the next morning with a farewell from the king and his daughter, and even though the journey began badly it would always be a dear memory in Link’s heart. The book the princess had gifted him was from that day on his favourite possession, and he would read it as often as he could. He couldn’t wait for the day he would get to revisit the castle and meet the princess once again.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is still from Link's past but we are going to go to the present day next chapter. A lot of things are gonna happen there so stay tuned! Please enjoy this

“Link…”

“Link!” Aruna’s voice made him jump out of his daze, and he quickly glanced at her to find her leaning on the desk in front of him with expectant raised eyebrows. 

“Well?” Aruna asked. “What is the answer?” 

Link looked down at his notes, trying to find a hint of what Aruna had been talking about. Finding none, he said the first thing that came to his mind. “Uhm, the-the Tabantha Frontier has served as a border for-”

“Link!” Aruna exclaimed, raising her chin imposingly and making Link want to shrink back into his chair. “I finished talking to you about Tabantha Frontier no less than fifteen minutes ago, and if you would have been bothered to listen to a word I said you would have known that I did not, in fact, ask you any questions. Where have you been? Because certainly you were not here with me.” 

Link sighed and leaned back in his chair. “Sorry, Aruna. I was just thinking.”

Aruna raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms. “That much I could tell.” She sat down on the chair. “What is on your mind?”

“That girl, you heard of her, right?” Link asked, just as Aruna let a smile curl her lips. She seemed amused and shook her head fondly. 

“How do you even know about her?” 

“The question is why haven’t _you_ told me about her?” Link questioned, annoyed at Aruna’s teasing tone. 

“Because I knew that would be the only thing you would think of and we wouldn’t get anything done,” she replied. Link pouted. 

“Can I go?” 

Aruna looked at the clock and sighed. “Fine. Just don’t bother your father, and whatever his decision regarding that girl is, don’t argue. If he asks, tell him you worked really hard today and I let you off because of that. We both know that wasn’t the case though, right?”

Link jumped to his feet and grinned, ignoring her last comment. He ran up to her and hugged her tightly, something that only happened when Aruna gave in to one of his whims. Knowing this as well, Aruna pushed him off with a fond smile and watched him leave. 

“Don’t bother the girl either!” she called after Link, but he was far enough already to pretend he didn’t hear her. 

Link entered the throne room in a hurry, just as the girl approached Ganondorf. The man barely gave Link a second glance as Link moved to stand near him, instead watching the girl walk forward. 

“Who are you, Hylian girl?” Ganondorf asked as Link took in the girl. 

She seemed to be about thirteen or fourteen, just a bit older than him. Her hair was an amber color, short and barely touching her bronzed neck. Her skin gave the appearance of someone who spent a lot of time working in the field and her clothes were ragged and dirty, her toes sticking out from her shoes. Link was surprised his father had even let her in the throne room. 

She stopped in front of them and bowed. Her bow was sloppy and she seemed to almost trip on her feet. To some, that bow would seem disrespectful. Link glanced at his father trying to decipher any kind of offence, but the only thing he saw was a raised, unimpressed eyebrow, his bored stance unchanging. 

“My name is Asea,” she said, her strong voice surprising Link. “Thank you for seeing me, milord.” 

“Your Majesty,” Ganondorf corrected, eyeing the girl with narrowed eyes as if trying to decipher her. 

The girl seemed taken aback as if she didn’t expect her lack of etiquette to be questioned. “I’m sorry?” 

Link had to hold back a wince. How this girl could talk like this in front of his father, Link couldn’t imagine.

“When you are in front of me you are to address as “Your Majesty”. I am the King of the Gerudo, not some nobody who happens to own a piece of dirt.” 

The girl nodded, but she did not falter underneath Ganondorf’s powerful gaze. Not even Link could look him in the eye like that, which made him wonder if this girl had no regard for her own life. Ganondorf seemed to realize the same thing as he straightened his stance and something in his gaze changed from boredom to sudden intrigue. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, having the decency to look away. “I didn’t mean any disrespect. As you might have guessed, I was not taught how to speak to royalty in my childhood.” 

“It’s fine.” Ganondorf waved a hand as if to shrug the whole thing off. “What do you want? I do not have all day.” 

“I’m looking for work.”

“Work?” Link asked, ignoring his father’s gaze piercing the back of his neck. It was so sudden it made Link wonder if his father had just noticed he was there. “What kind of work? Why here?” 

The girl turned to look at him and seemed to think the same as Ganondorf. “Uhm, who are you?” 

Link had to fight off a smile. This girl was really something, and he would lie if he said he wasn’t excited about interacting with her. No one else had dared speak to him like this, and a small part of him thought it was refreshing. 

Link held his chin up and spoke. “I am Prince Link of the Gerudo. If you truly come here seeking work, then my father is not the only person you should convince.” 

A snort got his attention and Link turned around to see his father smirking. The whole situation must have been truly amusing for him. It was not every day that Link would show authority like this. That must have pleased his father. 

The girl widened her eyes as she looked between the king and his son, as if noting their differences. Link was used to that. She was not the first to do so, nor was she the last, but it was fine. No matter what people said or thought, they would not stop Link from fulfilling his role as the next king. While his path would be a hard one, he knew that it would all be worth it when his father would express his pride for him. 

“Uhm, sorry,” she murmured. “Any kind of work would do. I lost my parents and there is nothing I can do now. My mom was friends with a Gerudo once and she told her that if she needed help or somewhere to go, the Gerudo would welcome her. Mom told me to come here before she died.” 

“Who was your mother’s friend?” Ganondorf inquired. 

“I don’t know, Your Majesty,” she replied, her gaze turning back to the king.

“You can stay. Link, you deal with her. She is your responsibility now.” Link nodded, watching as Ganondorf stood from his throne and left the room. It was silent as everyone else looked at Link, expecting an answer.

“Asea, there is not much you can do around here. We are a little short on the stable staff though. Isn’t that right, Seyasi?” Link asked one of his father’s advisors. 

“Yes, Your Highness.” Link nodded, turning to face Asea again.

“Do you know how to care for horses?” 

Asea shook her head. “I don’t.”

“You’ll learn then,” Link declared. “Seyasi lead her to the stables and introduce her to Lasela. She’ll put her to work right away.”

Seyasi gave a curt nod before putting down her scroll and walking towards Asea to lead the way. “Thank you, Prince Link!” She bowed, a little less sloppy than before, and then followed Seyasi away. 

That wasn’t a disaster, Link thought to himself giddily before he went to discuss with the advisors the rest of the arrangements for Asea’s stay. 

After he was done, he walked towards the entrance where Aruna was leaning in the doorway waiting for him. 

“Good job, Link,” she said, giving him a proud smile. Link smiled back. “Anyway, we should go now. Reyna is waiting for us on the training grounds.”

Link made a show of rolling his eyes. “So what? Let her wait. I told you, I don’t like fighting her.”

“Because you can’t beat her?” 

“Of course I can! That’s the problem. I beat her too easily and there is no point in me fighting her anymore,” Link grumbled, crossing his arms. 

Aruna put a finger to her chin. “Is that so? That’s not what I remember.” 

Link gave her a glare, feeling his cheeks heat up. He turned away and began leading the way to the training grounds. Aruna laughed and followed. 

The sun was setting as they reached their destination. Reyna was sitting on a large crate, sharpening her scimitar. She barely looked up to acknowledge Aruna and Link. He took a deep breath to calm his anger that appeared whenever he saw Reyna. She was younger than him, yet she always thought she was better. That made Link furious to no end. He focused on his warm-up, ignoring the overbearing sound of Reyna’s whetstone on her blade. 

“Reyna, come on now,” Aruna said as Link went to pick up his own scimitars. Reyna jumped off the crate, obviously making sure to appear too bothered and annoyed to fight Link. 

“We all know the outcome of this battle, don’t we?” Her tone was arrogant. She got into position awaiting Link’s signal. 

“Not this time, Reyna.” 

He charged forward, determined to make Reyna eat her words. He put all of his force into the first strike. Reyna blocked it easily, barely moving a few steps back. Link tried again and again, every time a new angle, but the attack never got through. Reyna jerkily moved back, and used her leg to make Link fall off balance. He tried to regain it, but he never managed too. He found himself on his back with Reyna’s blade at his throat. 

Link groaned, dropping his scimitars and putting his hands on his face. 

“That was good, Link. You too, Reyna,” Aruna appraised, nodding approvingly. 

Reyna stretched a hand to help Link up, but he ignored it. “Told you the outcome was predictable. It was better than last time, though.” 

“Yeah, whatever. One more time,” Link said, already getting into his usual stance. 

They fought a few more times, Reyna winning every single battle. Link was close to victory once, but Aruna had informed him that it was his arrogance of being near winning that made him lose. Link wasn’t too happy with that. He was about to get into another fight when Aruna’s voice stopped him.

“I got some things to attend to. You’re dismissed for today.” 

“Seriously?” Link asked with a pout. Reyna grabbed her blades and left the training grounds without another word. 

After that, Link didn’t really know what he was going to do. In the end he found himself on the way to the stables. After asking around, he found out Asea’s location and went to find her. She was moving aside a pile of hay, but seemed glad to stop when Link appeared in her line of sight. 

“How are you doing?” 

“This is hard!” she complained. “I have only been here for a couple of hours and my muscles are aching already.” 

Link laughed. “It’s not going to get easier. I usually help out around the stables when I get the time, and I can tell you, it’s hard work.”

Asea sighed and turned back to the hay with a frown on her face. Lasela showed herself soon after. “This is enough for today. I’ll take it from here. Be here at dawn.”

The girl nodded gratefully, wiping the sweat from her forehead. “Thank you.” 

She handed Lasela the pitchfork and turned towards Link. “Uhm... Where will I be sleeping?” 

“Follow me.” 

Asea nodded and with a wave to Lasela, she walked with Link out of the stables. She sighed once she was outside, picking up the pace to catch up with him. “Finally, it’s not so hot anymore. How can you stand it?” 

Link shrugged. “I got used to it, I guess. You should too, if you are planning to stay around for a while.” 

“I don’t think I ever will,” she confessed. “I mean, it’s burning hot in the day and freezing at night? How does that make any sense?” 

Link couldn’t help the smile on his face. “That’s because it’s a desert. There is a reason not many people live here. Not just anyone can survive this.”

“Yeah, no joke. I felt like I was going to die just waiting to get an audience with the king. I’ve been here since morning and I already feel like my brain is all messed up from all the weather changes,” she said and this time Link just laughs. That gets the attention of some of the people around, since Link isn’t known for publicly showing his emotions. 

“The weather hasn’t changed at all, from what I recall,” Link noted, putting a finger to his chin in mock thought. 

Asea pouted and gently hit his shoulder. “Shut up! You know what I meant!” 

Link stops his grinning and glances at her as if trying to figure her out. People wouldn’t normally touch Link so casually, yet she had no problem with playfully hitting him. Other than Aruna, Reyna was the only one who would occasionally hit his arm or hug him (though that only happened when Aruna forced them to in order to reconcile a fight). Her words were also loud and her tone was not at all appropriate for speaking to a prince or any person of higher status. 

She was clearly uneducated about these matters, but Link found that even though he should, he did not care. It was new and he enjoyed it much better than the wary stares or too respectful looks. 

As it was getting late, the streets were getting emptier as most people returned to their houses. Most nights it was too cold for anyone to stay out longer than necessary. Link led Asea to the outskirts of the town and when they reached the house, he stopped. 

“Here lives an old lady. Her name is Majun, and between you and I, she is crazy,” Link explained, leaning closer to whisper that last sentence even though no one was around to hear. Asea giggled at his words and he continued. “She needs someone to look after her because she is a danger to herself. She has had a free room since her daughter moved out. You don’t have to do anything other than make sure she doesn’t collapse in the middle of the night. Just keep an eye on her.” 

Asea nodded walking towards the door and knocking gently. “Thank you. I’ll see you around.” 

Link gave her a smile and a wave, deciding to leave before the lady opened the door and had some other crazy things about destiny and fate to say to him again. 

After that, Link found things going back to routine. Lessons with Aruna in the morning, combat training and occasional sparring with Reyna in the afternoon, wondering if his father will acknowledge his existence by showing up to dinner once in a while, and repeat. Things were the same, but they were also different. Before night fell, he would go to the stables, help around if he could and then walk with Asea to her house. 

Link found her presence a nice break from the routine he detested so much. She was unpredictable, and Link could never truly tell what she’ll say or do next. For example, the moment she threw herself in the market fountain in front of everyone just because her shift had ended early and the sun was too hot. Link would’ve tried to walk away to save face, but he couldn’t because he was laughing too hard. In the end, he jumped in the fountain as well having to wonder if going through Aruna’s scolding later on was worth it. He only decided much later that yes, it was. 

For once, things were looking great and Link was excited about each day to start. Especially since his father had received an invitation to dinner from the King of Hyrule. Link was very excited seeing as he was invited as well and he wanted to see the Princess again. It’s been almost five years since he had seen her last and he would be lying if he said he didn’t miss her. 

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the door opening. Link looked to see Aruna entering. 

“I’m sorry for being late. The King needed me for-” 

Aruna stopped her sentence when she noticed Link with the book in hand, reading the material for their Hylian lesson and writing down notes. “Did you begin without me?” 

Link nodded, fully understanding Aruna’s surprise. If she ever happened to be late, Link would procrastinate until the last moment, something that he had been repeatedly scolded about. 

“Yes. I was hoping to be done by four,” he explained, his eyes traveling to the clock. He still had ten minutes. 

Aruna raised an eyebrow. “Do you have somewhere to be?” 

“I promised Asea to take her to Molduga's territory. She really wants to see one,” Link explained. 

Aruna crossed her arms. “You’ve been spending a lot of time with this girl, Link.” 

Link didn’t know what Aruna was getting at. “Is that so?” 

“You’ve been happier lately,” she said with a small smile. “Having a friend has been good for you. I wish you could have gotten this earlier.” 

“It can’t be helped,” Link replied, moving his gaze to the table. As a kid he tried his best to interact with the other girls whenever possible, but none of them seemed eager to spend time with him. After a while he gave up. Even though he considered Princess Zelda a friend, Link had only spent one day with her which wasn’t enough. He was really glad to have Asea. 

“Give me your notes,” Aruna said and Link complied. “I’m not too happy with the shenanigans you’ve been up to lately, but I think you deserve to live your childhood and have fond memories. You can go. Just be very careful.”

Link found himself smiling. “I know, I know.” 

Aruna frowned. “I mean it. Stay far behind and climb the rocks as I taught you. You will not approach the beast under any circumstances.” 

Link sighed and rolled his eyes. “I _know_. I’ve been there plenty of times before.” 

She pursed her lips, but did not say anything else returning her gaze to Link’s notebook. 

Ten minutes later, Link met up with Asea for an unforgettable evening. She was frightened to see the Molduga and spent the whole time stuck to Link’s side who could not help laughing at her reactions. The beast seemed sleepy and Link assumed it had eaten earlier that day. Link had to throw a few rocks until it stirred and jumped out of the sands. 

It retreated soon after and Link had waited patiently for Asea to calm down. When she did they returned the way they came and Asea vowed that she won’t ever ask to see a dessert beast again. 

Time passed quickly, and soon Link couldn’t imagine his life without Asea. They had shared a lot to each other: secrets, fears and even their hopes for the future. She became Link’s best friend, and though he knew that Asea was not telling him everything about her, what he had was enough. 

Link knew Asea's father left her and her mother a long time ago. Her mother got sick afterwards. Link, in exchange, told her how he took up after his Hylian mother, and how many did not consider him a true Gerudo because of that. He told her how his only wish was to become who his father needed him to be. 

“That’s dumb,” she said, swinging her legs over the edge of the wall. The sun has already set, and even though Link has promised Aruna to be back by sundown, the conversations they were having were too deep to interrupt. 

Link hummed, waiting for Asea to elaborate. When she didn’t, he gave her a questioning eyebrow. “What do you mean?” 

“Well, I guess…” she paused for a second, pursing her lips as she did whenever she was deep in thought. “You should do whatever _you_ need to do, for yourself. Not for someone else, you know? If _you_ think you need to become a good king then that’s fine, right? But if you only want to do it because your dad is making you to, then you shouldn’t. You get what I mean?” 

Link nodded. “I do,” he replied, already knowing what his response would be. It had been drilled into his head many times before. “But sometimes it’s not about what we want. Sometimes we just don’t have a choice.” 

Asea sighed, leaning back on her hands and looking up at the sky. “Don’t I know it?” 

When Link woke up the next morning, Aruna was looming over his bed with an indecipherable expression on her face. “What’s going on, Aruna?” 

“You are expected in the throne room. You should hurry up,” she announced, already about to leave his room. 

“What happened?” 

Aruna lowered her gaze. “It’s hard to explain. Just come down as soon as possible.” 

Link nodded, quickly walking on his way to the baths to wash up. When he was finished, he threw on some clothes, made sure he looked presentable enough and dashed out the door. He made it to the throne room in record time, but stopped in his tracks when he realized what he was seeing. Asea was kneeling in front of his father with cuffs on her wrists. Her hair that had grown over time was covering her face, preventing Link from seeing her expression. 

“Link,” his father greeted. His tone was cold and harsh, but Link was used to it by now. “You were in charge of this girl, were you not?” 

Link stepped forward, facing Ganondorf. “What is the meaning of this, father? What happened?” 

“She was caught stealing from the treasury last night,” his father explained rather calmly, eyeing the girl in a distasteful manner. 

“What?” Link asked turning to look at Asea. “Is this true?” 

The girl nodded weakly, not bringing her gaze up to Link. He took a deep breath to calm the rising anger in his chest and counted quietly in his mind as Aruna had taught him. He couldn’t believe this to be true. He believed he knew Asea; he believed they were friends. Did everything they shared mean nothing to her? 

“Why?” he asked, his tone coming out more harsh than he intended.

“You wouldn’t get it, Link,” she said, her voice tired and weary. “Living your high life here, having everything you desire. You would never understand.” 

“I thought we were friends,” Link said, feeling a heaviness in his chest. He knew he was close to crying, but he did not want that to happen here of all places. 

“We could have been, maybe in some other way. Not like this. Not here.” 

Link sighed, turning away from her. He didn’t want to look at her any longer, fearing he might burst into tears. 

“Enough of this, Link.” His father’s voice boomed through the chamber. “She is your responsibility. What do you want to do with her? She must be punished for her crime.”

Link took a moment to calm down before he answered with a nod. “You’re right, father. She will be imprisoned. Seyasi, write a letter to Hyrule Castle. She will be sent there for trial and punishment as soon as possible.” 

The advisor bowed her head and left in a hurry. Link nodded at the guards. “Take her away.” 

He glanced at his father, who seemed pleased with the arrangements. He stood up from the throne and returned to his study without another word to Link. 

“Aruna, let’s get to today’s lesson,” he said and she furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. Link didn’t blame her. It was rare for him to ask for the lessons to start. She didn’t question him, however, and began leading the way to the library. 

A week passed, and Link didn’t go to see Asea. Aruna had suggested it to him a couple of times, but Link refused every time. He didn’t know the reason himself, but he believed it was because he didn’t know what to expect or even what to say if he was to see her again. Tomorrow was going to be the day she is taken away and Link didn’t know if he should go to her and ask for explanations, or to just stay put. If he went there, he was afraid he wouldn’t like the answers she gave, but on the other hand, he couldn’t let her leave without knowing. 

After nightfall, Link found himself near the dungeon entrance. He knew the guards’ schedule, so he knew when and where to go to not be caught. He even managed to snatch the keys to Asea’s cell from the key chamber. He passed through the twisted corridors before finally ending up in front of Asea’s cell. The next guard would only pass through here in fifteen minutes after she changed shifts. 

Link sat down near the cell and waited for Asea to speak. She did not, even though Link knew she saw him. 

“Asea,” he began, but there was still no movement from her. “Why did you do it?” 

Link waited and tried to be patient, but he knew they did not have long. “Please, Asea. If our friendship meant anything to you, then tell me why you betrayed my trust.”

“My mother is sick,” she began softly, that Link barely heard her. “The doctor said she only had a few months left to live, half a year at most. Medicine can prolong her life, but we can’t afford it. I told mom I would go get it, whatever means necessary. That was three months ago.” 

She let out a breath. “Our conversation the other day opened my eyes. I can’t do what I want, because what I wanted was to stay here with you and have fun and run from guards and jump in the fountains. But I couldn’t because my mom is waiting for me. And I can’t let her die.” 

Link, shocked by the truth, did not speak for a few moments. When he did, his tone was rushed and desperate. “But-but, you could, you could have asked for help. I-I would have given it to you, you know that, right?” 

Asea laughed, but it was weak and insincere. “Maybe. You’re kind, Link. Your father isn’t. And at the end of the day, he has the last word.” 

Link shook her head. “You’re wrong! He would’ve helped you! I know it!” 

“You can’t see what’s in front of you. I have been here for a short time, but I know your father better than you do. He couldn’t care less about me, and the only reason he let me stay was because you wanted me to. I bet he regretted it after you and me ended up doing all of that dumb stuff all over the place.” 

“Still, even if you think that, I would have found a way,” Link whispered, defeated. What Asea said made sense, even though it was hard for him to accept it. His father was not known among his subjects for the pity he took upon the helpless. Link knew it and yet…

“Thank you, Link,” she said and for the first time Link saw a tear roll down her cheek. “I had fun with you. Even if my mom is going to die and I’ll be imprisoned, I’ll remember this place fondly.”

“No,” Link decided, standing up. He shuffled around until he found the keys to the cell and fitted them in the lock. 

Asea jumped to her feet, approaching the now open door. “Your father won’t like this.” 

“It doesn’t matter what he says,” Link answered. “This is my choice. Go be with your mother.” 

She nodded, hugging Link tight. He hugged her back and watched her run until she was out of sight. Link closed the door and followed suit, making sure to return the keys to their rightful place. He was lucky no one was guarding them.

When he arrived in his room, Aruna was waiting for him. Link approached her, already aware that Aruna might know where he was off to. 

“Did you free her?” 

He wasn’t as surprised as he should have been. Aruna has always been able to read him better than most people. Link didn’t bother to try to hide anything because he never really hid anything from Aruna. “I did.” 

“Do you think it’s going to be worth it?” 

“Yes,” Link replied without hesitation. 

“Good.” Aruna smiled softly before bending down to place a kiss on Link’s forehead. She disappeared past the door soon after. “Good night.”

Falling asleep was not easy. Link kept replaying Asea’s words in his head. He wanted to believe she was wrong, that his father would have had no problem with saving Asea's mother. Yet even after everything Link and Asea did together, he knew Ganondorf would have left Asea on the roads if she had ever opened her mouth about her mother.

At breakfast, Link’s father showed up for the first time in two years, but he didn’t say anything during the meal. He expected him to be furious, suspecting Link and blaming him. But in the beginning, everything was silent. It was difficult for Link to swallow the food in front of him while playing the waiting game, but he did manage to quell his hunger just a little bit. 

"I'm disappointed in you," Ganondorf began as a maid took his dish away from him. "I believed you knew better."

Link decides to play dumb. "I don't know what you're talking about."

The glare he received in return made a shiver run down his back. 

Ganondorf stood from the table. "You no longer have my trust, Link. Not only do you go behind my back and do as you please, you also lie to me. You are not to accompany me on the trip to Hyrule Castle next month. Next time, think before you act. " 

With that, he was gone, and Link was left alone in the dining room. He clenched his fist and resisted the urge to break something. What his father didn't know was that he _had_ thought about it. For one long week, he had thought about Asea and if she did what she did for a reason. When he found out that reason, he hadn’t hesitated. 

He knew his father's words were meant as a blow. Ganondorf knew how much Link valued his trust and every task he was given by him. For once, he didn't care that he was a disappointment or even that his father did not believe in him any longer. For once he was sure of his own decision and he would stand by it, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading but please dont get used to long chapters and frequent updates otherwise you will be very disappointed. Please let me know what you think. Comments really help me work harder and faster! <3 :D


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my dumbass posted chapter 4 before chapter 3.... thank u to the person who commented, because of them I figured it out. Here is chapter 3. Ill post chapter 4 as well. Enjoy

Link woke up in his bed. Glancing outside, he noticed that it was still dark and he turned on his side burying his face in the soft pillows. He felt like sleeping more, but he knew that if he did, he won’t be able to do his usual morning routine. With great difficulty, he got out of bed and headed towards the bathrooms.

He stepped out of his room and glanced at the two guards, wishing that they would leave him alone. No such luck, asone of them began accompanying him. He clicked his tongue in annoyance. He couldn’t even wash his face without a chaperone. Entering the bathroom, he sighed in relief as the door closed, pleased to be alone again. He approached the sink and let the water flow until the basin was full. He cupped his hands and splashed the cold water on his face, suddenly feeling more awake.

After he returned to his room, he took off his sleeping clothes and dressed into his day ones. When he was done, he turned to look at himself in the mirror, making sure he looked presentable. Aruna would yell at him if he didn’t. 

Happy with his appearance, Link adjusted the golden ceremonial dagger at his hip. Aruna had gifted to him on his 16th birthday and hadn’t left his side since. He put his hair into a bun at the top of his head and began heading towards the balcony. 

After he was caught several times in one of these escapades, his father had put the guards outside his door to babysit him. As a true Gerudo, Link didn’t let that stop him. He jumped over the rails on his balcony and held onto the dents in the wall, slowly made his way down. When he was close enough to the ground, he jumped and landed smoothly. 

Stretching his hands above his head for a few moments, Link sighed in pleasure as he glanced around. This was his favourite time of day, right before the night became day and the air was still cool and refreshing. 

A few minutes later he was walking around Gerudo Town. Passing through the now empty market, he stopped, grinning widely when he say a familiar crate. The hydromelon vendor was always standing during the day, but in the early hours of sunrise was nowhere to be seen. He uncovered the tasty fruits and he smiled when he saw that he had plenty to choose from. He took one that looked better than the rest and put back the cover. Aruna had told him to stop taking the fruits, but he had ignored her. The vendor would not miss just one. It’s not like she was poor, and she had plenty anyway. 

He strolled towards the east side of the city, taking a deep breath and enjoying the air of the morning. He easily scaled a wall and plopped down on top of it, his feet dangling off the edge. This was something that he did often. Watching the starry sky slowly turn red then orange then blue ignoring everything else, enjoying this break he allowed himself.

Smiling softly, he took out the dagger and cut the hydromelon. He brought the watery fruit to his lips, enjoying it’s sweet taste. Link allowed a sigh to escape his lips, relishing the moment. Then it was broken when he heard footsteps behind him. Link sighed, not needing to turn his head to know who it was. 

"How many times have I told you, Link?" Aruna said, her voice as commanding as always, as Link mulishly brought another piece of fruit to his mouth. "At sunrise, you are to be on the training grounds."

"I know," Link muttered, not looking at her. "I just didn't feel like it."

Aruna sighed at Link's indifference. "Well you 'haven't been feeling like it' for a long time now," she reminded him firmly. "Also, what have I told you about stealing hydromelons?" 

"I can't help it,” he protested, giving her wounded eyes. “I am a Gerudo. It is in my blood."

"I am sorry to disappoint you, but the Gerudo haven't been living as a clan of thieves for generations now," Aruna informed as she stepped forward. She bent down and picked the golden dagger from between the fruit shells. 

"Alright fine. I will leave a red rupee next time," Link mumbled,already feeling tired of the repetitive scolding. 

"I would prefer if there wasn’t a next time," Aruna replied as she handed the dagger to Link. "Also I did not gift that dagger to you so you could peel fruits. It isn't even meant to be used."

"You’ve said that before," Link complained, taking the dagger and cleaning it with a handkerchief. 

"I will tell you as many times as necessary until you understand it."

"But I like this dagger! It would be a shame if all I did with it was have it strapped to my belt without any use."

“I am glad that you found the present to your liking, but as I have mentioned so many times before, it is a ceremonial dagger and it is not meant to be used,” Aruna repeated, making Link groan in annoyance. He had already heard this so many times. “If you really like it so much, then you should stop using it.Otherwise it will break soon.”

“Yes, I get it, Aruna,” Link said in an irritated tone. “Now, what do you want?”

Aruna raised an eyebrow at Link’s behaviour, but because of some miracle from the Sand Goddess she didn’t say anything about it. “Your father wishes to speak with you,” she told him instead.

“What about?” Link asked and Aruna paused. He glanced at her, frowning when she didn’t immediately answer. Met with silence, he raised a questioning eyebrow. “Tell me!”

“I’m afraid it is not my position to tell you,” she said and Link looked at her in surprise. Aruna always told him everything he asked. 

Not wasting another moment, Link got up, putting the dagger in its scabbard and leaving the unfinished hydromelons behind. He moved the climb down the wall. 

“Wait, Link,” Aruna said, making him turn to her. “Before you go, I wanted to give you this.”

Link watched as Aruna handed him a small wooden box with beautiful, intricate carvings. He took it and furrowed his brow. 

“What is this?” 

“Your birthday present,” Aruna answered with a small smile. 

“My birthday is tomorrow.”

“I’m giving it to you now because we might not see each other tomorrow,” Aruna explained. She nodded towards the wooden box. “Open it.”

Link wondered what his father could possibly tell him if Aruna thinks they might not see each other the next day. Pushing those thoughts away for the moment, Link opened the box to find a pair of hoop earrings. They were blue and after picking one up to examine it, Link realized they were made of wood. Odd.

“They belonged to your mother,” Aruna said, as if she was reading Link’s mind. 

He widened his eyes and brought the earring closer so he could see it better. It was bare of any details, no inscriptions or anything to tell them apart from any other ordinary and inexpensive piece of jewelry. But for Link, they were suddenly priceless.

“Why are you giving them to me now?” Link asked in confusion. 

Aruna reached to his ears to take off the gold. “Your father did not want you to have any connection to your Hylian mother. However, she expressed her wish for you to have these to remember her by. The King did not want you to.”

“Why? Didn’t he feel anything for my mother?” 

Aruna took the box from Link’s hands and opened it, taking one earring and fitting it in his ear. “No, he did not. But I did not think that should stop you from owning these. It is your right after all. I am sorry it took this long to give them to you, but I figured I might as well now.”

“What is going on Aruna? Why are you talking as if we won’t see each other again? ” Link asked just as she smiled softly. 

Aruna sighed deeply and stepped closer, wrapping her arms gently around Link’s shoulder. She held him tight and Link hugged her back almost instantly. 

“Forgive me, vevhi,” Aruna whispered. “I can’t tell you.” 

Link closed his eyes so he could feel her embrace properly. Far too soon, Aruna pulled away and held Link’s face in her hands. The look in her eyes was indescribable. She seemed sad, almost wistful, and Link couldn’t think of anything that would have her feel like that.

“I know you will make the right decision,” Aruna whispered so low that Link could barely hear her over the breeze of the desert. She leaned down and kissed his forehead before she looked away from him. “You should go. Your father is expecting you.”

Link nodded, confused and still thinking deeply about all that Aruna had said. He turned his back to her and climbed down the wall,walking until he reached the stairs leading to the throne hall. He walked up to the throne at the end of the room, glancing around him, not failing to notice all of the Gerudo’s greatest generals gathered. When he reached his father, he dropped to one knee. 

“Sav'saaba, Father,” he greeted, turning all the attention in the room to himself. 

“Ah, yes, Link,” Ganondorf acknowledged in a weirdly pleased voice. “Rise now, we need to talk.”

Link did as he was told and studied his father. He was different. He seemed happy, maybe even excited. This paired with Aruna’s behaviour from before made the situation even weirder. 

“What is going on?” Link asked, still glancing at all the generals gathered in the room. 

“Well, Link, tell me. What day is it tomorrow?” 

Link thought for a bit before, realizing that as far as he knew, nothing other than his 18th birthday will take place. “My birthday.”

“Exactly,” Ganondorf said. “You will come of age tomorrow. Become a man. And I have a task for you.”

“A task?” Link asked, narrowing his eyes. Usually when a Gerudo came of age, she would leave the desert. Whether she came back bearing a child or not, it was her decision. However, as Link was a voe, there were no such traditions for him, and he wondered what his father could possibly ask of him.

“Tomorrow we will leave for Hyrule Castle,” the king said. 

“Why?” Link asked, a part of him wondering why he hadn’t heard of this trip before now.

“My plan has been put in motion. And finally, after so long my goal will be accomplished.We will siege the castle and kill the Royal Family,” Ganondorf announced with a proud grin. Link widened his eyes feeling his heartbeat speed up. “Your task, Link, is to assassinate the Princess.”

“What?” Link asked once again dumbly. He wished from the bottom of his heart that he had heard wrong. “But… we are one with them now! I thought that was meant to stop the wars.” 

“Foolish boy,” Ganondorf chuckled. “That was all a ploy in order to end up on the king’s good side. We will strike when he least expects it."

Link stared at the man in front of him who had a maniacal look on his face. He ran his fingers through his hair, anxiously trying to understand what he was hearing. Suddenly, the way Aruna acted made sense.

“But _why_?” Link cried out, his voice cracking. As much as his father got under his skin he never, _never_ thought that he was a genuinely bad man. It was hard for him to believe that the man in front of him was actually his father.

“Why?” Ganondorf repeated as if Link was dumb for even asking that question. “Years upon years of oppression. Living like _rats_ in this hell hole of a desert, under the rule of a foolish king who has the greatest power in the world at his fingertips and yet refuses to use it. It’s time the Gerudo take their rightful place where they belong: As rulers!” Ganondorf roared and Link felt his legs getting weak. _This can’t be real,_ he kept telling himself.

But every glance at the generals around him with determined looks on their faces was telling him that it was real, every single part of it. And even though some of them didn’t look convinced, the loyalty they felt for their King was enough to keep them grounded and follow the orders. Link couldn’t feel the same way.

“Now, Link, prepare yourself. We’ll leave tonight at-”

“No,” Link said sternly. He couldn’t go along with this.

“What did you say?” Ganondorf demanded, obviously not used to being interrupted, much less disobeyed. 

“I said no!” Link repeated, standing up straighter and looking his father directly in the eyes. “This is madness! We don’t live under oppression and we never did. Ten years ago we became Hyruleans ourselves. Our trading with the Hylians has kept us alive for generations. We lived in peace and look how well we are doing now. Now you want to throw all that away for a ridiculous attempt at getting power?”

Ganondorf scoffed. ”Don't dump us in with the rest of you. The Gerudo will never be Hyruleans. The Gerudo will not live under the rule of a Hylian King any longer.”

“What are you talking about?” Link asked, confused. “The rest of us? Who?”

Ganondorf fell back on the throne, crossing his legs. He sighed. “This is the best time to tell you, I suppose.” He paused, leveling Link a disdainful look. “You are not a Gerudo. You are a Hylian, and just as weak and foolish like the rest of them it seems.”

“But-but, I’m… I’m your son! How-how can I be a Hylian?” Link stuttered feeling annoyed with himself for doing so. Whenever he was feeling too emotional, this problem that he used to deal with a lot as a child would return.

“You are _not_ my son,” Ganondorf stated. “And you are clearly _not_ a Gerudo. Is that simple enough for you?”

“But how? I thought that--”

“What you thought, doesn’t matter here, boy,” Ganondorf interrupted. “When your mother came crawling to the town gates, begging us to let her in as she had just given birth and was really tired, I ordered to have her killed. I never tolerated the weak. I still don't.” His tone was accusatory as he spoke. “I have no idea what she was doing in the desert. Some abandoned slave most likely. I didn’t care anyway. She begged and begged to let her son live, until I finally accepted.”

“I wasn’t going to fulfill that promise, clearly. Why would I take in the child of a Hylian slave? But then I looked at you and had this _feeling_ that you would live to become someone great even if I left you there in the sands. I wanted that greatness on my side. So I raised you.” His glare was pure ice. “But you were nothing more than a disappointment. Even now as I offer you a way to redeem yourself, you refuse.”

Link shook his head. How could this be real?

“I have no need for a son like you,” Ganondorf finished, flicking his wrist towards him. 

The guards at the door approached Link just as Aruna entered the room. For a moment, he simply stared at his father, the words not sinking in. And then he understood all at once, and glanced at her helplessly. 

“Aruna, you can’t let him do this!” he cried as the guards surrounded him, as if he was still a child. “Help me!”Even as the guard took him by his arms, he didn’t fight. He had no chance of overpowering them and didn’t even feel like trying.

Aruna’s face was hard and expressionless. “I’m sorry, Link.”

“No! Aruna, _please_ ,” Link begged as he was dragged away. 

For a second, before he was forced out of the room, he thought he saw sympathy in Aruna’s eyes, just as a soft, encouraging smile appeared on her face. But it was gone as fast as it appeared, and for the first time in his life, Link felt genuine fear overcome his senses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading and let me know what you thought :D


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 uwu enjoy!

Link was waiting in his cell, his knees brought up to his chest and his head resting on his arms. He tried to listen to any sounds that would indicate that anything was happening outside his cold prison room, but ever since his father- no, ever since _Ganondorf_ has left along with the troops, everything was silent. 

They had left a few hours ago, at dusk, though Link has been imprisoned for even longer. He had far too much time to think, to ponder over everything that has been revealed to him less than twenty four hours ago, including Ganondorf’s plans. He had already come to the conclusion that he had to be stopped. 

Link knew that he was angry by nature, that Aruna had told him many times to watch his temper. So after learning the truth about his heritage and knowing that he has been lied to his whole life, he didn’t cry and he wouldn’t let himself be sad. He was just angry. Angry at himself for believing he belonged when all the signs proved otherwise; angry because the man he used to call his father had no use for him anymore, and that apparently he had never cared about him to begin with; angry because one of the only important people in Link’s life, Princess Zelda, was put in danger. 

Above all else, he was angry at the world for being so cruel to him. All his life he had worked hard towards one single goal: to please his father and become a worthy heir. All of his life’s work was thrown away the moment he refused his father’s task. _Ganondorf_ , Link had to keep reminding himself. That man was not his father. And of course, he had refused that task. He would never kill another person, that much he was sure of, least of all the princess who was his only friend. 

Link sighed deeply, finally allowing himself to feel sorrow. The princess would likely be dead by morning. In one night, he had lost everything. He felt powerless and weak, and wanted nothing more than to break free from his cell, face Ganondorf and make him pay. _Not really possible right now,_ Link thought as he gazed up looking at the silver rays of the moon coming through the small strip that served as a window. 

Just as he was finishing his thoughts, Link heard footsteps approaching his room. The sound of the key in a lock made him stand up to face whoever had come for him. The door opened revealing Reyna. 

“What are you doing here?” Link asked. She was the last person he imagined would come to his cell.

“What does it look like I’m doing here?” 

Link looked at her expectantly and shrugged. Reyna rolled her eyes. “I’m getting you out? Obviously?” 

“What? Why?” 

“Because mom told me to,” she said matter-of-factly, before turning sideways to let him pass by her. “Let’s hurry. We don’t have much time before the guards shift.”

Link followed her silently until two pairs of footsteps made them stop in their tracks. Link looked around frantically, but they were still deep underground and they had nowhere to hide. Going back now would be futile, seeing as the guards were to be patrolling the entire area, and it wasn’t likely that Link and Reyna could evade them. 

“What do we do?” Link asked, his whisper sounding far too loud for his liking. 

Reyna put a finger to her lips and pushed herself against the wall in an attempt to hide herself in the shadows. She motioned for Link to do the same, and they waited. After a few seconds, two soldiers appeared. Link figured they would be noticed, but didn’t dare move. He proved to be right when one of them stopped and pointed her lantern towards them. The other one widened her eyes. She glanced at her partner in confusion and with a nod they kept walking. “Hurry up,” one of them whispered just as they left Link’s sight. 

He frowned. “What is going on?” 

Reyna turned to him with a raised eyebrow. “How ignorant have you been over what has been happening around here lately?” 

“I’m not in the mood for this, Reyna. You either tell me or you shut up,” Link snapped as she stepped past, leading the way. 

Reyna narrowed her eyes. “Whatever. Not everyone is happy about this “arrangement” with the Royal Family,” she said, punctuating the word with air quotation marks. 

“What do you mean?” 

Reyna stopped him as they reached the exit. She stepped outside and looked around. After apparently deciding that everything is clear, she signaled for him to follow her. “Most of the army is on Ganondorf’s side. However there are those who would rather not have to deal with wars or anything of the sort and those who are completely against his plan. They pledged allegiance to my mother and they want her back on the throne.”

“So they…?” Link vaguely pointed towards indirection of the guards who let them pass earlier. 

“We were lucky,” Reyna said as she kept walking. “But that’s why we have to hurry. Luck might run out, and if one of Ganondorf’s soldiers catches us, we’re done for. Both of us.” 

Link nodded, glancing around. The streets were oddly empty, but that was to be expected. Most of the forces left for Hyrule Castle, and those who remained were either guards or simple citizens who stayed behind to care for the kids. The streets were illuminated as they always were and if not for the absence of the evening market and the ever buzzing presence of everyone, Link could have believed that this was a night like any other. A cold breeze sent a shiver through his body as he remembered that it wasn’t the case anymore, and would never be again. 

Reyna led him to the area below his balcony. They easily climbed to their room, and the moment they were safely inside, he turned to her. “So how do I get out of here?” 

Reyna walked up to his closet and took his armor, handing it to him and signaling him to get dressed. “Leila is waiting for you outside the city walls since one of our soldiers is on duty tonight. I packed you this.” Reyna threw him his bag just as Link finished putting on his gauntlets. The pack almost hit him in the head, and he glared at her as he opened it to look inside. 

“The plan is for you to go to Kakariko Village. It is a hidden Sheikah village. You will be safe there.” She explained how to get there as he finished putting on his armor, but he didn’t really listen to her. After he was done, he interrupted her. 

“Wait.” Link stopped her throwing the bag over his shoulder. “I’m not going there. I’m going to Hyrule Castle. I’m going to stop Ganondorf.” 

He walked up his closet and grabbed his scimitar, taking it out of its sheathe to inspect its sharpness. “I’m never going to forgive him for what he’s done, and I am not going to wait and do nothing while he sieges the castle.” 

Reyna shook his head. Link frowned, expecting her to be annoyed, but she seemed almost apologetic as she spoke. “I’m sorry, Link. You can’t do that. Mom is planning to fight Ganondorf before he manages to put his plan in motion. It’s going to be a bloodbath out there. That’s why mom made me stay behind and that’s why she wants you far away from there as possible.” 

Link narrowed his eyes, carefully thinking over Reyna’s words. “But if that is true, then why did she ask you to free me? Why does she want me to leave here?” 

Reyna looked away from him, and abruptly Link knew what her answer would be even as she spoke. “If she fails, who knows what Ganondorf will do to you after he returns.” 

Link took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger building up in his chest as he spoke. He knew that Reyna was not to blame and that she must have felt just as bad, or even worse, than he did. Aruna was her mother, and the thought of her not coming back must be weighing heavily on Reyna’s mind as well. 

“That’s why I have to go,” Link said slowly, and the look on her face told him she had been expecting this answer. “I’ll help her however I can, and I will bring her back. I promise.” 

Reyna shook her head and Link immediately noticed the fire returning to her jade green eyes. “Don’t promise such a thing. I don’t want you there and mom doesn’t want you there either.” Her gaze tightened. “She is the strongest person I know, and we… we are her only weakness. She knows it, even you know it. Step back, Link.” Her tone was cold and harsh, the way he had known it his whole life. As always, she spoke the truth. 

However, as they were both used to, Link continued to argue even though he knew how right Reyna was. “Even so, I have to be there. I have to understand _why_ he did that to me. I need to know if everything in my life, everything I’ve ever cared for has been a lie. I need closure.”

The fire seemed to disappear from her eyes again as she sighed deeply. “Whatever. It’s not like I could have stopped you anyway. Just don’t die.” 

Link smiled softly at her words before his smile widened into a grin. “Wait? Am I hearing things? Would you actually miss me if I died?”

Reyna’s eyes shot open as if she only realized her mistake. She huffed. “Don’t be ridiculous!” 

Link laughed as she glared at him, but he could tell it lacked any ill-intent. Moments like these reminded Link just how much he appreciated Reyna. At first, he had always thought that he and Reyna had never been particularly close. While he was rash and impulsive, Reyna was calculating and always seemed to think things through. She was younger than him, and yet, she has always been so much wiser. They fought and quarreled, but at the end of the day she was the closest thing he had to a sister. She was a mystery to Link, just as he was a mystery to her, and even though Aruna wanted them to get along, they never did. Even so, neither of them could ever fit in, and that made them understand each other more than they could ever realize. 

Reyna walked up to his bookshelf and picked a book from between the others. She turned and handed it to him. Link sighed as he realized her intentions. 

“I’m coming back, Reyna. I told you,” he said as she thrust the book in his hands. The worn out cover was already so familiar in Link’s hand he knew every curve and tear. 

“It’s your treasure, isn’t it?” She smiled softly. “When we were younger, you’d never leave it. I used to make fun of you for it.” She let out a ghost of a laugh. “I still think it’s dumb, but I kind of get it now. You probably know it by heart, don’t you?” 

Link only nodded as she continued. “Don’t get me wrong. I want you to come back, more than anything. However, if you change your mind and head for Kakariko Village instead, you’ll be bored there, won’t you? So take it with you, and whatever happens, you will have it to guide you.” 

“Guide me?” Link repeated, confused. “You are speaking like old woman Majun. Guide me where? I either wait out the battle in Kakariko, fight Ganondorf or die. I’m not going anywhere else.” 

Reyna rolled her eyes in annoyance. “Whatever. I don’t care anymore. Just go already and take the stupid book with you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Link gently put the old tale in his bag before turning towards the balcony. “See you later, then.”

As Link climbed down the balcony, he felt a strange wistfulness envelop him. Maybe he should have thanked her for help, he realized a bit later as he was mounting Leila. Maybe he should have dropped their game and told her he did actually care about her. As he rode through the darkness towards a battle, he knew deep-down that he would not be strong enough to win. And yet, he kept going, the thought of facing his father the only thing that kept him from backing down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! Let me know what you think :D <3


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, it's been a million years but I'm actually planning to update fairly often from now on. I'm also looking for a beta reader so if anyone is interested leave a comment down below 😊 I hope you enjoy!!

The night was cold. It was so cold, Link could barely feel his fingers around the bridle. Leila was galloping and she was probably cold too. They walked slowly after leaving the desert, until they reached the quarry, but since then they couldn’t afford wasting time. Link felt bad for his loyal steed, how tired she must be, yet they kept going. 

The first light was sneaking through the canyon, barely lighting the valley when he decided to stop for a break. A long journey would be ahead of them and he couldn’t let Leila tire too much. He gave her water and food, while he himself waited, too anxious to eat anything. A couple of hours passed, and they were on the road again, this time a little slower so Leila would last longer. 

Their next break was at lunch, but Link did not eat anything this time either. The breaks were few and too much time passed between them. He knew he could be hurting Leila and that broke his heart, but the thought of the princess dying and Ganondorf taking control of everything was what convinced him to keep going, no matter what. Leila was a smart horse, Link figured she knew all this as well. 

At a reasonable pace, it would have taken Ganondorf about three or four days to reach the castle, depending on how long the breaks he took were. The same as it did when Link and Aruna had traveled with him all those years ago. If Link hurried and kept up the speed he could catch up and reach the destination at the same time as the troops. 

On the second day of travel, Link reached Hyrule Field. It was getting dark, but the night here was not as cold as the highlands or desert. There have been no signs of an army passing through, and it made Link wonder if Ganondorf took another, less obvious route. 

_It’s time for a break again,_ he thought patting Leila’s muzzle. Raising his gaze, he saw smoke, along with the silhouette of Hyrule Castle in the distance.

“No…” Link whispered, his heart speeding up. Had he been too late? 

In less than a moment, he ordered Leila to go faster, to gallop as fast as she could, until the dot in the distance marking the castle became more prominent and the fire could be clearly seen from behind the walls, coming all the way from Castle Town. 

Reaching the walls he could tell Leila was tired, but it was the furthest thing from his mind in that moment. He dismounted, letting her walk towards the small river to drink water as he dashed through the gate, trying to find his way to the burning buildings hoping to find who he was looking for. 

People were running and screaming in some places, while in others it was deadly silent. The fire placed a thick cloud over Link’s head and he had to put his shirt over his mouth in order to stop the smoke from reaching his lungs. He kept going, even though he wasn’t sure where he was headed until the sound of hushed voices reached his ears. He followed them, careful to stay out of sight. 

Finding the source, he hid behind a building and carefully peeked towards the center where some of the Gerudo troops could be seen, surrounded by fallen Hylian soldiers. Link could not tell if they were unconscious or dead, and he did not want to know. 

Some of the women were speaking between them, but Link could not hear what they were saying. He wanted to step closer, but at the same time he was afraid to be discovered. He didn’t know if they were allies, those who had sided with Aruna and it was too risky to go in. He had no idea if they were friend or foe. 

After a few minutes of waiting, three more people appeared and amongst them, Aruna. Link was so glad to see her he almost jumped out of his hideout, but thought better of it when he realized he might blow her cover if these were not her allies. 

Link watched as Aruna walked in front of them and all conversation ceased. She began speaking loud and clear and Link could hear what she was saying even though he was so far away. 

“We are approaching the battle. Though we were too late in stopping the siege now that we are all together, it is time we put an end to this. Ganondorf is not fit to lead us. A man maddened by power is not who will stand in front of us. We will take him down here and now. Are you with me, soldiers?” 

A roar of approval sounded throughout the empty market and Link knew that the battle that would soon follow would be unlike any other. He did not stick around hiding and he ran out to approach Aruna. The moment he was noticed, he was met with spears pointing at him, but after the women realized who he was, they immediately put down their weapons and got Aruna’s attention. 

When she saw him her eyes widened as if she was not expecting him to be there. Link thought she should’ve known better. 

“What are you doing here?” her tone was harsh and it made Link stop in his tracks. She stomped towards him, but Link could tell she was not angry, just… concerned. 

“Didn’t I tell you to stay out of this?” she asked, a bit gentler than before. “This fight isn’t for you.”

“That’s where you are wrong, Aruna. This _is_ my fight!” he explained, desperate for her to understand and don’t make him leave. “He lied to me my whole life! He made _you_ lie to me. I have to be here and I have to stop him. I can’t let him take away the one thing that I still have left.” 

What Link didn’t want Ganondorf to take away remained unsaid, but Aruna seemed to understand. Her gaze softened and she let a small sigh pass her lips. 

“Vevhi, I know you need this, but I can’t have you here. It’s too dangerous. If he sees you here, he won’t hesitate to kill you. That’s the kind of person he is. If you can even call him a person.” 

Link’s brows furrowed and he looked away from Aruna’s golden eyes. He understood what she was saying, but for him it was unimportant. He was more than glad to die here if it meant Aruna got out of it alive and Ganondorf fell. “I’m willing to risk it.” 

Aruna pursed her lips. “I’m not.” The words had a finality to them that Link has heard many times in the past. He knew arguing would be pointless. Aruna would be willing to take him away herself and he knew that. 

He could not risk the battle not commencing. 

Hesitantly he nodded, though he hated the way things turned out. “Alright, I’ll leave. I promise I won't get involved, but you have to promise me you’ll be careful. Promise me you’ll come get me from the Sheikah Village after everything is finished here.” 

Aruna smiled and Link felt reassured. “Who do you take me for? I’m definitely going to win this battle. You don’t have a thing to worry about. I’ll come get you in a couple of days. Don’t get on Impa’s nerves, please.”

Link laughed already feeling lighter. He had faith in Aruna. He was still scared of what might happen to her. If she could really beat Ganondorf and what would happen if she didn’t. But at her words, he felt something heavy fall off his shoulders and decided to believe in her rather than his fears. 

He nodded, but still felt the urge to hug her tight. So he did. She returned the embrace and Link suddenly felt like a child again. When he pulled away she was smiling and he found that apparently he had been smiling the whole time too. 

The heavy sound of hooves broke them out of their moment. 

“Leave, now!” Aruna commanded and Link ran away, managing to duck behind a wall just as Ganondorf reached the area. 

“Someone snitched, Aruna. The princess is gone. Send all troops to search for her.” Link heard Ganondorf’s voice and stopped. The princess had escaped? Aruna had really thought of everything, after all. He didn’t even know why he had been worried. 

“What are you waiting for?” Ganondorf’s voice was irritated. 

“Don’t take another step forward,” Aruna ordered and Link couldn’t help turning back to look at the scene. He knew Aruna had told him to leave, but sticking around for just a little longer could not hurt. She unsheated her blade pointing it forward. 

Link could not see Ganondorf’s expression from where he was standing, but he could tell it wasn’t anything good. 

“I hoped it wouldn’t be you, Aruna,” he said, his tone deceivingly calm. “I trusted you more than I trusted anyone. I can tell now you’ve never been on my side. You raised Link to disobey me and then you betrayed me yourself. I am very disappointed.” 

“Don’t play the victim here, Ganondorf!” Aruna’s tone was harsher than Link had ever heard it. “I never wanted it to get to this either. But you changed. You became a monster. A monster who won’t hesitate to murder innocent people or imprison his own son. I thought I knew you before...back when we were children, but I never did. I slowly figured it out by picking at the details however, you never showed your true face. Only now you stand in front of me as you truly are. Nothing more than a filthy snake.” 

Did Aruna have history with Ganondorf? The thought only occurred to Link now. Even so it made sense. Aruna was the daughter of the previous queen and the true heir. When Ganondorf was born as the sole male in the Gerudo Tribe, tradition was followed and he was crowned king. It made sense that the two of them would spend their childhood together. And why Ganondorf entrusted his so-called son to her. Link really wished he could have seen this sooner. 

Ganondorf laughed. It was cold and it made the hairs on Link's arms stand. It was the kind of laugh one only hears in nightmares. 

“You are foolish,” he began, the grin on his face frightening Link to his bones. "Good or evil; hero or villain. These things don't matter in the slightest. There is only the powerful and the weak. And the weak ones? They always end up dying without leaving their mark on the world. I have never let myself be weak and now I _will_ become the most powerful."

"What are you truly after?" Aruna breathed out as if she had just made a realization.

Ganondorf laughed again, unsheathing his double swords. "I always believed we were alike. I was wrong. While you shy away from power, I embrace it. Not you, nor your puny army will stop me. The Triforce is mine!" 

Ganondorf charged with the intent to kill, but Aruna effortlessly parried the blows. She stepped back aiming a strike at his lower abdomen. He dodged it. 

All around them battle was commencing. Scimitar clashing with spears, bodies pierced by blades belonging to those of the same family. It was a horrifying sight for Link and for a moment he even considered getting away. 

He changed his mind when he realized he _needed_ to see the outcome of the battle. So he stayed. 

Bringing his blade down, Ganondorf tried for Aruna’s neck, but she swung her blade above her head, blocking at the last moment. This left her open. 

Ganondorf used his other blade to stab right through her chest. Her scimitar fell to the ground with a deafening sound. Aruna gasped as blood trickled past her lips. Her eyes, wide open soon lost their shine and she became limp, Ganondorf mercilessly throwing her lifeless body to the ground. 

Link watched in horror as Aruna's body hit the cold earth. He almost forgot how to breathe and for a few moments he found it hard to control himself. He wanted to run out there and look for a pulse or order a field doctor to save her. He didn't want to believe it was too late. 

At the same time, he was terrified. He knew that if he left this safe spot he would meet the same fate. 

His emotions were a mess, but above all else Link could feel anger in his pounding heart and clenched fists. He wanted to make Ganondorf feel the pain Aruna felt in her last moments. 

He wanted to _kill_ Ganondorf. 

"If you return besides me, your treachery will be forgotten." The king's voice broke the heavy silence that has fallen on the battlefield. "If you don't, you will meet the same fate. Make your choice!" 

Every single Gerudo that had stood with Aruna hesitated, until more than half let their weapons out of their grasp and then fell down on one knee in front of the man who killed their commander.

The rest of them stood proud. As Ganondorf's women approached them they put their scimitars and spears back in their place, not resisting at all. As blades were placed at their necks, Link turned away not wishing to see anymore slaughter.

He promised Aruna he wouldn't get involved with this battle. And while sneaking and disobeying her were the norm, Link had never broken a promise that he made to her. He wasn't about to start now. 

With heavy steps he began making his way back to Leila, his anger qwelled for now it was still burning on the back of his mind. Now that the anger washed away he only felt… empty. His heart was aching and his eyes were stinging, but he couldn't put a name to what he was feeling. It was almost as if he wasn't feeling anything at all. 

He found her by a small river he couldn’t bother to remember the name of. He mounted her and guided her to trot towards the direction of the Twin Peaks. He wasn’t really paying attention to the road and he was even surprised he ended up going in the right direction. 

Every time he closed his eyes the same image was imprinted on the back of his eyelids. Aruna's lifeless body, gaping hole in her back and her lifeless eyes watching the sky. 

He was tired, but he knew that even if he tried he wouldn't be able to sleep. So he kept going.

News traveled fast and every time he found a village or a traveler he could ask for guidance, they would take one look at his Gerudo clothing and turn him away. Link did not wish for conflict so he continued, following signs and whatever landmarks he could find until he reached a small path climbing into the mountains. 

He quickly realized this was matching Reyna’s description and he kept going until he reached a dead end. The fog of the morning was thick around him and he barely noticed the stone wall in front of him. 

Movement on the corner of his eye got Link on guard and he dismounted, quietly unsheathing his scimitar. 

Link didn’t have time to react before he felt a blade pointing at his neck, as well as the warmth of another body at his back. Link would have cursed himself for his lack of focus, but the last twenty four hours have not been ideal for him. He hadn’t slept in way too long, he hadn't eaten in even longer and even standing was a chore. 

“Drop your weapon,” a deep, masculine voice whispered in his ear and without much choice he let go of the blade. 

“Come with us,” the same voice ordered and Link only nodded letting himself be dragged away.

He briefly saw Leila’s bridle being grabbed by another person dressed from head to toe in tight clothing. Only his eyes were visible. A look at his captor told him he was dressed the same way. 

These were the Sheikah. He had made it. 

The stone wall in front of him shifted and the fog seemed to lift only for a little bit. They stepped past the entrance and before Link stretched an entire village, completely hidden in the valley. People were going about their business, tending to their crops and farm animals, opening their little shops completely unaware of Link’s presence. And those that noticed him seemed uninterested. 

He was led to a house, larger than the rest and when he walked inside, Link first noticed the iron bars that stretched in front of him. 

_Great,_ he thought, he was going to be imprisoned for the second time in less than a week.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you liked this chapter! Let me know what you think! Thanks for reading <3

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed and thank you so much for reading! i am self conscious about this work so it would mean the world to me if you could leave a comment with your thoughts! thanks again for reading! i will post the next chapter real soon <3 see ya guys :D


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